I decided to spend 10 weeks in Valencia through International Studies Abroad (ISA) for my STEP Project. I spent the first half of my week attending class, doing homework, and exploring Valencia. On the weekends, I took advantage of the cheaper flights and train rides to travel around Europe.

I expected this to be a transformational experience, but I didn’t expect the intense amount of self-reflection I would do during the trip. I had never been into journaling, but I brought a journal to remember this experience. The journal allowed me to express my thoughts and feelings when I was feeling overwhelmed, lonely, or homesick. I’m proud to say that journaling is now a part of my nightly routine. Exploring other cultures and cities made me realize how little I have explored my own city. I have challenged myself to find more restaurants, activities, and groups to feed my adventurous side. Although my schedule is busier while school is in session, I use my time management skills to stay active in my community. These skills result from balancing classwork, socialization, and mental and physical health.

Being immersed in a completely different culture was overwhelming in the best way. There was so much to do and so much to learn. I enjoyed the challenge of navigating a new city in a different language. I felt so accomplished when I finally knew my way around the city. However, culture shock also had its downsides. I was extremely anxious and lonely during some parts of the trip. During those times I would remind myself that hardships help you grow. I made little videos for myself during the highs to help me get through the lows. Looking back on those videos makes me feel like I have grown so much from this experience, and I am incredibly proud of myself for making the best of my 10 weeks.

There were so many notable events that made my trip special. One of the first was my weekend trip around Northern Italy with other people from the program. This trip took a lot of planning because we wanted to go to 3 different cities in only 3 days (more like 2.5). I was recovering from my ailment that was caused by my tobacco allergy. I had to take this awful-tasting medicine three times a day. While this medicine did dry up my sinuses, it also caused many long bloody noses. I dealt with them during meals, bus rides, and clubs. It was embarrassing, but I decided to laugh it off. This trip was one of my favorites despite the constant worry and bloodshed.

Towards the end of the first session, our whole group celebrated the night of San Juan together. Valencians celebrate San Juan by building fire pits along the beach, leaping over fires, and jumping over seven waves at midnight. We didn’t know how to start one of these fires, so we hung out on big blankets and towels between other groups. We spent the night reminiscing about the trip so far, meeting new people, and participating in the traditions. The night of San Juan was undeniably the best night of my trip. I felt connected to the culture, my new friends, and myself.

Finally, I found some amazing friends during one of the program events during the second session. I missed the watersports event during the first session because I took a trip to Mallorca. However, it looked so fun that I decided to come home from Madrid early to participate. Balance has never been my forte, so it isn’t surprising that I couldn’t figure out how to surf. The current was so strong that no one could get out far enough before leaving the small reserved zone. The instructors decided to call it off. Although this was disappointing, I got to chat with people from other ISA programs. Many of the friends I made abroad left after the first session, so I felt more lonely during the second one. Spending the day, and then the rest of the trip, with these people boosted my mood when I was having a hard time.

This transformational experience has changed how I live my day-to-day life. It has pushed me to be more adventurous, confident, and outgoing. Academically, I took challenging courses to finish my minor, but my Spanish improved more through talking with locals. Personally, I have learned how to balance extremely busy weeks with my physical and mental health. These skills will also help me professionally as I plan to be a neuropsychologist. I will need to manage many different tasks through graduate school and my job while also prioritizing my own health. I hope I can use what I learned from this experience to reach more people professionally and personally.